Breathe
by marshallsaredead
Summary: You're maddening, but you're still home. DaleyxJackson & MelxNathan [Please read and review.]


**Chapter One**

He would've liked to be back in his home over at Jefferson Park. But no, he was stranded on an island, miles away from home. He missed being home. He wanted to go back and eat real food, sleep on his bed, wear other clothes than what he had with him. Jackson was thinking all of this until a redhead interrupted his thoughts.

"Jackson?" Daley confirmed. "Dinner's ready."

"You mean a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs and then some ice cream for dessert?" he inquired. His pessimism and complete sarcasm failed to amuse Daley, who sympathetically took a seat next to him on the warm sand he was sitting on.

"Look, I know it's hard being away from home," she said, carefully placing a hand on his. When he stared at the gesture of their hands, she blushed and pulled her hand away. "What I'm trying to say is that being away from home for this long isn't something that I'm sure neither of us are used to. But," she continued, "we have to deal with it."

"Well, thanks Daley, that helps a lot," Jackson said, rolling his eyes.

Daley, who didn't feel like arguing, simply got up and said, "I'll see you in a few minutes, I hope."

Jackson watched as she walked back to where the others were. Her tangled red hair, big, blue eyes, and smooth legs all somehow seemed remotely attractive to him. Jackson then understood why Nathan was practically in love with her. If there was a world without Nathan and as Taylor may put it, even Mel, Jackson felt a relationship with Daley may have been possible.

_Wait_, he thought, _scratch that thought. You _cannot_ have a crush on Daley …she's the leader of the team …Besides, she's not the type for relationships_. Jackson shook his head to make sure all of his thoughts flew out of his head, and into the water, where they would never come back to him again.

-

After dinner, which was basically an assortment of fruit, everyone was heading back to the shelter to get some sleep. Daley stayed put, cleaning after everyone's mess, whatever that was. She didn't want to go to sleep just yet. Something just caused her to become awake and aware of everything going on around her. Lex was talking to Eric and Nathan, Taylor was complaining to Mel about something, and Jackson –where was Jackson?

She looked around where she stood for any sight of him. Jackson had come to have dinner, but he didn't just suddenly leave, either. Where could he be? Then again, why should Daley worry? It wasn't as if she was his mother or sister, or even –_No_, Daley told herself inside her head, _don't even think about it. Relationships will drive everyone apart_. However, Daley reasoned, it made sense to try to look for him because, after all, she _was_ the team leader. If something bad happened to someone, it would be all of her fault.

Using this excuse, she went over to Taylor and Melissa to about Jackson's whereabouts.

"Hey, did any of you guys see where Jackson could be?" she asked, hoping she didn't sound too attached to him.

"He went somewhere near the water, I think," Mel answered. "Why, what's wrong?"

"Um, nothing," she answered; maybe even too fast. "I mean, I was talking to him earlier and I don't know, he seems like he misses home."

"Don't we all?" Taylor retorted. She yawned, covering her mouth. "I'm gonna hit the sack now. Coming Mel?"

Mel looked at Daley as if she needed permission and when Daley nodded, she said, "Yeah, let's go."

Daley sighed and then went to her little brother. She suggested to him that maybe he should go to sleep, which Lex decided to do anyway, dragging Eric along with him. Daley smiled; at least her little brother found companions on the beach. Sometimes she felt like there was no one she could relate to at all. She felt like she didn't belong with the people she was stranded with. Just then, a voice interrupted her.

"Daley?" Nathan said.

"Yeah, Nathan?"

"Um, are you going to sleep soon?"

She hadn't planned to, but either way she said, "Actually, yeah. Why don't you go sleep yourself? After all the work you do around here, you should." She smiled at him, succeeding in making his heart melt.

"Okay," he replied, nodding and smiling. Daley suddenly felt a sting of pity for the boy; he was always so nice to her, always there, and she couldn't return his feelings that he had for her. It would've been the least she could've done for him.

Daley started to walk near the shoreline, forgetting that she just told Nathan she would be heading to sleep soon. She wanted to know where Jackson was and what he was doing. Jackson was so …mysterious. He didn't talk a lot and he was just so vague. It was actually attractive of him.

Despite Daley telling herself that relationships in this situation wouldn't work at all and that she shouldn't even think about one, she smiled to herself. It wasn't the only time she thought Jackson was hot –at school, when he would walk through the hallways just by himself, she would sometimes think why she wasn't head over heels for him.

"Ugh," she said out loud. "Shut up, Daley! You do not allow yourself to have a pathetic crush on -"

"I was actually thinking the same thing myself," a voice behind her said, cutting her off. Jackson nodded as a greeting. "But go on, I'm listening."

Daley stared in wonder. She put her hands on her hips and said, "Hey, you can't just sneak up on someone like that." She shrugged. "Besides, what's there for you to listen to?"

"Who's this person you're talking about?" Jackson asked. He was interested –he thought that it may be Nathan because it would've made more sense, but he was actually hoping it was who he thought was a slight possibility of being. "Not if you mind, or anything."

"When have you become the more polite version of gossip-seeking Taylor?" Daley asked, amused. She sat down on the cold sand, and then decided to just lie back.

"You're amusing, Daley," Jackson smirked, lying beside her. Both of them just lying together made Jackson feel a little awkward, but he tried to brush off that feeling. Nothing major was going to happen. The least that would happen, he figured, was just the two of them talking.

"Thanks, I guess," Daley said awkward. She turned to her side, facing Jackson. _He's_ _so good looking …oh God, this can't happen. Wait a second, why is he coming so close? What …_

Daley's thoughts trailed off when Jackson's mouth touched hers. Jackson couldn't help it; he just had to kiss her and see what would happen. He couldn't just remain quiet and simply think about what would happen if the two of them ever got together, he had to see for himself.

Daley smiled beneath the kiss. It felt so good that she didn't seem to care about what rest of the crew's reaction. The only reason she wasn't with Nathan was because she didn't reciprocate his feelings. If she even did like him, she would at least tell him. Nathan and her were just friends; however, she and Jackson could be much more.

Jackson was on top of her, his weight crushing but comforting. His tongue was begging entrance in her mouth, but Daley pulled back, panting.

"Jackson –"

He stopped her from going on by gently placing a finger on her lips. "Shh, I know a better place than here."

But finding a better place wasn't Daley's concern. No matter how much she enjoyed the kiss she just shared with him, she simply couldn't _continue_ it with Jackson. It would be wrong –especially since everyone else was sleeping. It would be like betraying them in a way. They couldn't –but as Jackson's hand held Daley's and they walked over to this "place" he said would be better, she knew she would never get another chance. _Sometimes_, she thought as he smiled and squeezed her hand, _chances like this don't come twice_.

Jackson felt out of character; this wasn't him. He never just randomly kissed a girl because he felt the need to do so, and he wasn't even sure what he was going to do next. He tightened his arms around her waist and started talking to her, "Sometimes you should stop worrying so much for the others. You have your own needs, don't you?"

Daley smirked. "I could say the same for you." She reached and kissed his bottom lip, nibbling on it gently. She almost didn't realize that Jackson was taking off her button down shirt. She knew what was coming –it was obvious. She knew she shouldn't have been giving into temptation, but she wanted it as much as she wanted Jackson. Besides, he seemed like the right person to do it with. She was sure nothing bad was going to happen. It was all she could hope for as Jackson started to strip her clothes off for her.

Jackson's body was tingling for delight. He wanted her badly; her taste, her smell, her fears. The night somehow seemed to go by slowly, as the two of them melted into each other's body, doing things to each other that they never thought would happen outside of just their dreams.


End file.
